Roof shield

ABSTRACT

The present invention presents a solution to prevent damage caused by ice dams in the form of a roof shield that includes a plurality of panels in which each panel is secured to at least one other adjacent panel. At the sides of the roof, a single panel on each side is secured to a vertical side surface of the underlying structure. At the front of the roof, each of the panels, or some of the panels are secured to a vertical front surface of the underlying structure. The adjacent panels can be overlapped or contiguous at their ends. To cover the entire span of the roof some adjustment or cutting of a panel may be necessary. This adjustment is accomplished either by altering the overlap amount on adjacent panels, or by custom fitting an end panel to the underlying structure. It is desirable that each of the individual panels overhang the bottom edge of the roof and in the event that the structure includes attached gutters to surpass any gutters and also to provide some flexing that facilitates snow and ice build up drop off. The installation of the roof shield also provides for ease of disassembly at the end of season thereby preserving the integrity and appearance of the structure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to structural roofs and, more particularly, to an apparatus that prevents damage caused by snow and ice buildup on a structural roof.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Every year, snow and ice buildup on structural roofs causes damage due to snow melting and having no where to go because of ice dams formed at the bottom portion of a sloped roof. The melted snow then runs up under the roof shingles and in a continuous cycle freeze which causes progressive leakage and damage to the roof and to ceilings and walls in the structure.

Snow pans are known in the art and are nailed to the bottom portion of the roof prior to installation of the shingles. The snow pans are designed to form a shield up from the bottom edge of the roof so that backed up melted snow does not contact the shingles and instead freezes back to ice. On a warm day, the ice dam simply slides off of the snow pan, hopefully not on someone's head.

The snow pans are an unsightly permanent installation. In addition, these snow pans are very difficult, if not impossible, to install on an existing shingled roof. Further, the snow pans are designed to align with the bottom edge of the roof, thus exposing a gutter should one be installed on the structure. As the ice dams forms, they often encircle the gutter. When the ice dams falls from the snow pans, the gutter is usually destroyed because of the substantial weight of the ice dam pulling down on the gutter.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to improve the art of roofing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a shield for a roof that protects the underlying structure from damage caused by ice buildup at the bottom portion of the roof.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a shield that is quickly installed to an existing shingled roof.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a shield that can be quickly disassembled during the warmer months and conveniently stored.

These and other objects are provided in accordance with the present invention in which a roof shield includes a plurality of panels which forms a continuous surface by being secured to at least one other adjacent panel. At the sides of the roof, the farthest extent of each panel is secured to a vertical side surface of the structure. At the front of the roof, each of the panels, or some of the panels are secured to a vertical front surface of the underlying structure.

The adjacent panels can be overlapped or contiguous at their ends. To cover the entire span of the roof some adjustment or cutting may be necessary. This adjustment is accomplished either by altering the overlap amount on adjacent panels, or by custom fitting an end panel to the underlying structure.

Each of the individual panels should overhang the bottom edge of the roof and where gutters exist to surpass any gutters. This provides some flexing that facilitates drop off of snow and ice that has built up.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a roof shield installed on an underlying structure;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of an end panel of the roof shield of FIG. 1 being secured to a vertical rising or falling side surface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the roof shield of FIG. 1 overhanging a gutter and also being secured to a vertical rising or falling front surface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the roof shield of FIG. 1 showing a four to eight inch extension of the panel past the front edge of the roof where the weight of the snow and ice causes a slight downward bend to facilitate snow and ice drop off;

FIG. 5 is a top view showing a pair of adjacent panels having contiguous sides being connected via a splice plate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top view showing a pair of overlapping panels being connected via a splice plate in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view showing a pair of panels having tabs and receptacles in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a top view of one of the panels of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a top view of a custom panel to be used in conjunction with the panels of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a pair of panels in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Referring now to the Figures, a roof shield 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention shall now be described showing a couple of variations thereof. It shall become apparent that the preferred embodiment and the disclosed variations in no way limit the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Built up snow on a roof 26 causes damage in the following manner. Typically, the upper most part of the roof is warmer than the lower part of the roof. In addition, heat emanating from the structure interacts with the snow and outside cold causing ice to form. Further, that portion of the roof that extends away from the underlying structure 24 is typically at the same temperature as the surrounding air. When the snow melts on the upper part of the roof during freezing temperatures, the water runs down the roof. As the water passes a vertical surface of the structure, the water freezes again turning to ice. This repeated cycle causes ice to build up which forms an ice dam at the lower part of the roof.

As more snow melts, it cannot pass through the ice dam and thus it travels upward underneath a roof shingle. The cycle of thawing and freezing of this upward traveling water causes much damage to the roof and other parts of the structure, usually walls and ceilings.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the roof shield 10 of the present invention extends upward from the roof front edge 12 a sufficient distance to prevent water from contacting and working it way underneath a roof shingle 14 since the water cannot pass through the ice dam. The roof shield 10 is assembled from a number of individual panels 16 to cover the front length of the roof. Each of the panels 16 couples with an adjacent panel 16, or with an adjacent panel on both sides.

The roof shield 10 overhangs the front edge 12 of the roof 26. The overhang 18 allows the roof shield 10 to slightly flex downward, depicted in FIG. 4, under the weight of built-up snow and ice that causes the snow and ice to become unstable, thus facilitating fall off. Where gutters are part of the structure, the overhang 18 also prevents ice and snow from directly contacting a gutter 20, thus keeping the gutter 20 free from damage.

The roof shield 10 is designed to be quickly assembled, disassembled and conveniently stored. In the case of an end panel 22, it is connected to only one adjacent panel 16. In a preferred embodiment of the roof shield 10 of the present invention, each of the panels is identically sized and shaped to facilitate mass manufacturing and convenient storage.

The panels 16 are made of any suitable material including metal, plastic, fiberglass, ceramic or other material. Slightly flexing materials are more suitable for installation and function of the roof shield 10.

The panels 16 should be smooth to allow snow and ice to readily fall therefrom. It is preferable that the colors be dark to absorb heat from the sun while blending with the color of the roof.

In one preferred embodiment, the panels 16 are four feet by eight feet. Four feet is typically sufficient to reach beyond an ice dam. It should be apparent that different dimensions of length may be manufactured to facilitate installation of the present invention.

The underlying structure 24 typically supports the roof 26 in which the front edge 12 extends beyond a front vertical structure surface 28, and a side edge 30 which extends beyond a side vertical structure surface 32. Sometimes, the front edge 12 and/or side edge 30 terminate at a downwardly or upwardly disposed fascia 34.

Looking at FIGS. 1 and 2, an L-shaped bracket 36 connects an end panel 22 to the fascia 34 using a bolt 38, a top washer (not shown), a bottom washer (not shown) and a nut 39. Where a washer directly contacts a panel 16 or 22, it is desirable that the washer have an oversized outer dimension to prevent the washer from working its way through an opening 40 in the panel 16 or 22 or otherwise damaging the area around the opening 40.

Turning to FIG. 3, an adjustable shaped bracket 42 fits neatly between the underside 44 of the panel 16 or 22 at one end of the bracket 42 and to the front vertical structure surface 28 on the other end of the bracket 42. The adjustable shaped bracket 42 bends or is otherwise manipulated to accomplish the desired shape and length to secure the panel 16 or 22 to the front vertical structure surface 28. An opening 46 in the frontward portion 48 of the panel 16 or 22 aligns with an opening 50 in the adjustable shaped bracket 42 to allow a bolt 52, washers (not shown) and nut 54 to be fastened therethrough.

There are many differing methods to fasten adjacent panels 16. Looking at FIG. 5, a pair of identical splice plates 56 sandwich the openings 58 on the adjacent panels 16A. The splice plates 56, which are secured using bolts, washers and nuts (not shown), prevent the bolts, washers and nuts from directly contacting the adjacent panels 16A, thus preserving the integrity of the openings 58.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the adjacent panels 16B overlap and are secured using a splice plate 60 having openings 62 that align with the openings 64 in the panel 16B. In this referenced embodiment, one or both of the panels 16B includes an elongated opening 66 that allows the overlap 68 to be adjusted. Such adjustment is desirable in aligning the end panels 22 with the side edges 30 of the roof 26, depicted in FIG. 1.

Looking at yet another embodiment of the present invention and referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, each roofing panel 16C includes a pair of tabs 70 extending from a single side 72. On the opposing side 74, a pair of receptacles 76 accommodate the tabs 70 from an adjacent panel 16C so that the adjacent panel sides 72 and 74 butt up against one another. To secure the panel 16C to the end of the structure 26, a horizontal member 78 of an L-shaped bracket 80 fits within the receptacle 76. The horizontal member 78 includes an elongated opening 82 which allows the panel 16C to be adjusted to accommodate the roof length. The tabs 70 are beveled at their ends for ease of installing into the receptacles 76. For further ease of installation, the receptacles 76 includes flared ends.

At the opposing roof end, a custom end panel 16D, depicted in FIG. 9, includes receptacles 76 at both opposing sides 74 and 84. Thus, the receptacles 76 in the first side 74 receive tabs 70 from an adjacent panel 16C, while the receptacles 76 on the second side 84 receive the horizontal member 78 of the L-shaped bracket 80. The vertical member 86 of the L-shaped bracket 80 is secured to the underlying structure 24 through any applicable means.

Referring now to FIG. 10, yet still another embodiment of the roof shield 10 is disclosed. Each panel 16E includes a first L-shaped tab 88 upwardly disposed from a first panel end 90, and a second L-shaped tab 92, upwardly disposed from a second panel end 94. The first L-shaped tab 88 and the second L-shaped tab 92 include respective openings 96 that align with one another when the panel ends 90 and 94 on the adjacent panels 16E butt up against one another. The L-shaped tabs 88 and 92 are secured using bolts, washers and nuts (not shown). An end panel 16E is secured to the structure using an L-shaped bracket (not shown).

It should be apparent to one skilled in the art that there exist a limitless number of designs to interconnect the adjacent panels, including dovetail designs (not shown), clamping mechanisms (not shown) that allow for quick assembly and disassembly.

Various changes and modifications, other than those described above in the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. While the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments and exemplifications, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereby, but solely by the claims appended hereto. 

1. An apparatus for preventing water damage due to an ice buildup on a roof of a structure, wherein said roof includes at least one front edge adjacent to at least one front vertical surface and at least one side edge adjacent to at least one side vertical surface of said structure, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of panels having at least one panel secured to at least one other adjacent panel, said plurality of panels further including at least one intermediate panel and at least one end panel; roof side edge panel securing means for securing said at least one side edge panel to said at least one side vertical surface; roof front panel securing means for securing said at least one panel to said at least one front vertical surface; and panel interconnection means for securing said at least one panel to said at least one other adjacent panel.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one panel includes at least one side edge overlapping at least one side edge of at least one other panel by an overlapping length.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one panel includes at least one side edge being contiguous to at least one side edge of at least one other panel.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said at least one panel includes at least one opening and said at least one other panel includes at least one other opening and wherein said interconnection means includes at least one splice plate which is fixedly secured to each of said openings.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said at least one panel includes at least one opening and said at least one other panel includes at least one other opening superimposed over and affixed to said at least one opening.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said at least one other opening includes an elongated dimension which allows adjustment of the overlapping length.
 7. The apparatus of claim 4, further including a second splice plate aligned with said at least one splice plate, wherein said splice plates sandwich said at least one opening and said at least one other opening, and wherein said splice plates are secured via a bolt, at least one washer and a nut.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interconnection means is selected from a group consisting essentially of a clamping mechanism, at least one splice plate in conjunction with at least one bolt and at least one nut, and at least one bolt, at least one washer and at least one nut.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of panels includes at least a portion extending beyond said front edge of said roof.
 10. A roofing panel comprising: at least one substantially smooth top surface; mating means for interconnecting with at least one other roofing panel; and mating means for securing said panel to an underlying front surface.
 11. The roofing panel of claim 10, wherein said panel further includes a second mating means for securing said panel to an underlying side surface.
 12. The roofing panel of claim 10, wherein said mating means further includes at least one opening in said panel, a bracket, a first securing means for securing said bracket to said panel, and a second securing means for securing said bracket to said underlying front surface.
 13. The roofing panel of claim 11, wherein said second mating means further includes at least one opening through said panel, a side bracket, and a panel side securing means for securing said side bracket to said panel, and a side securing means for securing said bracket to said underlying side surface. 